this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2023
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200
Can Flow Batteries Finally Beat Lithium? (spectrum.ieee.org)
submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
83 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Amazing stuff.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If it still relies on mined lithium, it's some pretty bad stuff. Come to find out mining isn't super great for the environment.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Much of the lithium is mined in Australia or via salt brines in Chile.

It’s not worse environmentally than the other mined materials that go into a vehicle.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

That doesn't make it a good thing.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Ok so let’s drill into it further.

Lithium gets mined once and then enters a circular system where batteries can be recycled after 10+ years in service.

It doesn’t exist in isolation either. While lithium is mined, its competitors (oil, coal, gas) are too with significantly higher environmental costs. They’re also not reusable.

Zinc Bromide flow batteries look like a great idea for static energy storage but if you’re worried about mining, I have bad news.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Are lithium batteries getting recycled? Because there are millions of pounds of disposable vapes that just get fuckin yote directly into a landfill. Then they crack and leak PFAS into the ground water.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Large car batteries can become second life static energy storage before being completely recycled .

This is one of those instances where capitalism helps us out - there’s money to be made in old batteries.

Single use vapes are pretty damn disgusting all around TBH.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

So we should continue mining single-use hydrocarbons because disposable vapes exist?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

That's definitely not what I said lmfao I said I'm excited for better battery technology.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

But it does mean it isn't any worse as well. Plus lithium can be recycled.